Boys Don't Cry
by TeddyRuxpin
Summary: Something's happening at school that Vaan can't explain. The students are in danger from an unknown evil, a fightclub, classes, and upperclassmen. Can Tidus help Vaan get through this or does he harbor his own secrets that need to be unraveled? TidusxVaan Yaoi boyxboy
1. Chapter 1

Teddy: Alrighty, so this is a request story from the awesome LuckyDreamer91 that brought you all The Pool House! I for one am super excited to give out the newest finished project! Hopefully it'll come somewhat close to expectations! XD

CIC: Hi LuckyDreamer91, I'm also excited to write with you again. The last story (even though it took a while, which I apologize for) was a lot of fun. This one was a challenge because I don't really know a lot about Final Fantasy XII, but with Teddy's help I think we made something good.

Teddy: Alright you lovely, brilliant people, here we go again! Sorry in advance if there's anything wrong with the facts I got about FFXII, and Happy Readings!

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Here I am - standing stock still against an oppressive invisible force emanating from the monolithic stone structure before me. How did that stupid woman expect me to just waltz in there like I owned the fucking place and be totally fine? I not only didn't belong here, but I had no desire to stay and turn myself into the "good boy" she so desperately wanted me to be.

Leaving Rabanastre had been really difficult; more so than I would ever admit to anyone. Especially Penelo, my childhood friend that I'd been forced to leave behind. All my life I'd lived in the cramped, bustling streets, dreaming of one day setting out and exploring the world on one of my own ships, completely happy with her by my side. The orphanage gave us the freedom to be whatever we wanted, and that was enough for me. I never asked for this…_Lady Ashe B'nargin of Dalmasca_ to come and force a life I never knew about – and would rather forget – down my throat.

Her late husband Rasler had been an old family friend of the Hikari's for many years. In fact, their eldest son Reks was very good friends with the young man. It was through this bond that Reks was able to acquire the funding required to attend a very prestigious school on the outskirts of the beautiful city of Nabradia called Spira. Unfortunately a tragedy struck the two families. Rasler died in a horrible shooting while on a business excursion, and Reks was found on the school grounds dead from seemingly no apparent cause, which came as a great mystery. There were no signs of foul play or anything even physically wrong with him; he was just dead.

So, Reks' parents set out on a search for the son they'd given up fourteen years before, which surprise, turned out to be me. I never got the opportunity to meet the people that abandoned me, because they died in a car crash in Dalmasca a year after their search began. It was only a year after that that Lady Ashe discovered me in Rabanastre. She was on a sort of personal vendetta to put to rest the memory of her husband and his wish that a member of the Hikari's received an education.

The day she found me, Penelo and I had just scraped up enough money to buy an engine part that we'd been waiting for for quite some time. Hopefully, we could come up with enough to make our dream come true within the next few years. We were waiting outside the shop when I was roughly grabbed from behind. I attempted breaking free, but they had the jump on me. In a flash they'd dragged me to a waiting limo and shoved me inside, closing the door as I fell in a heap on the back seats. Without wasting any time I'd jumped up and tried the handle to the door. It was locked, with no way of unlocking it.

Slowly I looked around at the interior of the vehicle. And there on the far side, looking me over like I was some sort of unsavory meat, was the Lady Ashe herself wrapped in a stole of soft white fur that I suspected was some sort of endangered animal from the Moonflow or Mt. Gagazet regions.

Setting my expression into one that would resemble stone I glared over at her and asked harshly, "What the hell?"

"You should not curse at your elders," she stated simply, still scanning my features like a hawk. Finally when I'd taken in many deep calming breaths I asked, "What do you want?"

I was thinking I'd finally gotten myself into serious trouble with some kind of sinister group or something like that. But when she explained the story of my family, I could barely keep my jaw off the floor. Never in a thousand years would have I expected that. But then she dropped the "you're-going-to-this-school-whether-you-like-it-or-not" bomb. I was furious. Who did she think she was, telling me what my life was supposed to be like? I'd gotten along fine my whole sixteen years without anyone's help, so why should I oblige some stranger's whim? Especially when that stranger knew the people that left me for dead the day I was born?

I soon learned that I had little say in what was going to happen. Turned out that Lady Ashe legally became my parent by adopting me from the orphanage that had literally forgotten I was registered with them. She didn't even give me a proper chance to say goodbye to Penelo. There were many occasions where I tried to run away back to Rabanastre, but each time I made it shorter distances than the last escape, and soon we were further from my home than I'd ever been before. The determination leaked from me at increasing levels until finally I was dropped unceremoniously off in front of this place.

It certainly looked like a private boarding school for the rich. A very impressively large stone building, standing on rising ground that was backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front, a shimmering stream that had hardly been touched by the hands of overly capricious landscapers, giving it an overgrown feeling. Both the stream and the rest of the estate seemed to have been modifications of the nature it was built in. There was a sort of wild but whimsical quality to it that – I'm sad to say – pleased my aesthetically adventurous tastes.

Making a huffing sound, I forced myself to hoist my duffel bag from the gravel drive in front of the main entrance, and resolutely strode towards the beginning of my "new life".

The inside of the building was just as impressive as the outside. The ceilings rose high, casting back echoes of each step I took towards a large wooden greeting desk, ominously. All the rich furnishings of gold trimmed this, and jewel encrusted that filled strategically placed tables hand carved from deep woods from some distant land. It was already making me feel more uncomfortable than anything I'd ever had to deal with before. But determination won out in my mind in the end. Resolutely I strode up to the desk and peered over the shining surface to the woman sitting primly behind it. She too looked like she had been polished recently, just like everything else in this place.

"Excuse me; I'm Vaan Hika– I mean…Vaan B'nargin of Dalmasca." I muttered, catching myself begrudgingly. Her long make-up laden lashes blinked twice up at me before her perfectly highlighted head dipped in acknowledgement.

"One moment…" she said in a light voice.

I stood awkwardly waiting while she compiled paper after paper into a thick accordion folder, and tapped carefully away at a sleek humming computer. This whole time, not one soul entered the spacious entrance room. Just as I was starting to shiver from the chill in the room, she held out the folder and explained, "Everything you'll need to become acquainted with your new academic surroundings is in here…please, if you have any questions, do call this desk."

My clammy hands clasped clumsily over the folder as I dipped my head in thanks. But before I could make an escape back into the open air, she raised her arm dreamily and held out a separate sheet of paper as she said, "A map of the grounds…"

"Th-thank you," I muttered, taking the paper and stepping hurriedly towards the heavy wooden front doors to leave.

"Welcome to Spira, young master…" she called faintly after my retreating back.

Jeez, did this place give me the creeps, or what? Shaking my head as I stepped into the cool autumn air, I decided that finding my dorm was all I could really do at this point. Glancing down at the intricately drawn map with the (of course) looped cursive title that read dramatically 'Grounds of Spira' I saw that the dorms were in a separate building to the west of where I stood. Looking in that direction, I caught sight of the also impressive ivy covered stone façade in the shadow of huge oak trees a little ways down the hill from the main building. Adjusting the hold on my belongings, I strode down the gravel drive as long as I could before having to change course and trudge through the lush green grass towards my destination.

It took only a few minutes, but that little time was long enough for me to want to change my mind about going along with Lady Ashe's ridiculous impulse and turn tail and run. I mean, who was she trying to kid? Even looking at me, anyone could guess I'd be hopeless in an academic setting. My destiny was in the sky, traveling to places even further than this, surrounded by the people I cared about.

"You must be young master B'nargin of Dalmasca…?"

It took me a moment to pull from my thoughts and register that that was even my name. My head snapped up just a few meters from the door leading into the dorms, letting my eyes fall on a very wry looking man. He stood looking down at me with a small smirk as he ran a hand through his slicked, unruly sandy blonde waves. I took in his appearance. All I could think was that maybe I could relate to someone here after all. His attire consisted of the normal cut of a suit, but to my surprise, I saw that under his double-breasted, powder blue jacket, was a very brightly colored, intricately patterned waistcoat, and to pull it all together, oddly shaded pants that were either hued green or blue. My mouth, needless to say, dropped at the sight of him.

The smirk on his lips deepened further as he took in my expression before standing from his leaning position against the doorframe and turning to stride into the dim hallway that lead into the building. With a wave of a heavily ringed hand over his shoulder he called, "Try to keep up! Lot's to see before I have to get my beauty rest!"

Starting, I took off after him. And for nearly half an hour he led me to the student lounge area, the in-dorm study hall (that he said wasn't nearly as impressive as the library's, but that I thought was just as impressive in its own right), and finally to my room. All the while he explained all about the different buildings, where I could find them in association to this building, and so on. When I'd set my things down on my bed, I managed to cut in, "Where is everyone?"

I hadn't seen a soul besides him and that off-putting secretary the whole time I'd been here. His eyes glittered with amusement as he answered, "Ah, yes. That brings me to the topic of rules. Curfew starts at eight thirty sharp."

Glancing over at the clock next to my door I saw that the time read a quarter past eight. Drawing my brows together, I started questioning the dorm master (whose name I'd heard mention somewhere along our tour as being Balthier) about this when he explained easily, "Normally the students buckle down early. Here at Spira, we like to keep our rules enforced. Now, you should know about areas that are off limits. There will be the gymnasium, which is under construction, and the…"

By now, my mind had had an overload of information that I was sure I'd forget by tomorrow anyways, so I tuned the rest of his welcome speech out as I studied the contents of my room. The width of my room can be explained by stretching out my arms. I could easily fit two of me with our fingers touching and stand comfortably. The length I would guess at being three of me. In one corner, there was a moderately sized bed, already with its sheets and pillows. On the opposite side I had a desk and chair, waiting for me emptily. Near the door sat a comfortable looking reading chair, lamp, and side table. And across from that, was a large bookshelf and dresser.

I was amazed at how much stuff the school supplied to the room. Or so I thought until Balthier commented, "Lady Ashe is a very kind patron to provide you with all your fixtures. You must be very glad to have her so invested in your happiness…?"

Giving him a polite nod, I kept my voice as neutral as I could as I answered, "She's really something."

"Yes, well, I shall leave you for the evening to get adjusted to your new living quarters. In the morning I will come fetch you at eight a.m. sharp to take you to your first class." Balthier said, back pedaling out the door to the hall. "Pleasant dreams!"

After shaking my head after the strange man, I trudged over to the side of the bed, and fell face first down onto it. Damn, I thought defeated rubbing my face against the cool, silky surface of the fabric. It even felt expensive. Rolling over so I lay facing the ceiling, I let my mind go blank. Soon the subtle swirls in the ceiling plaster began to meld together, and I felt myself drifting into a gentle sleep.

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Teddy: Right, so I hope you enjoyed this first addition! LuckyDreamer91, message and let us know what you thought!

CIC: See you in the next.


	2. Chapter 2

Teddy: Such a wait! Sorry, sorry!

CIC: It's mostly my bad, I've been preoccupied.

Teddy: You make-a me wait so long! Lol Anyways, here's the new installment! Happy Readings!

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A dull throbbing pulled me out of the darkness of my mind and forced me into the loud, bright, real world. Groaning, I slowly realized that the reason I was so roughly woken, was because the man Balthier that I'd met last night had knocked harshly against the wood before bounding into my room wearing an orange patterned jacket that matched the blinding rays of the morning sun spilling past the sheer curtains into my eyes.

"It seems you are not an early riser," he commented dryly. "You really out to wait at least a week before deciding to sleep through your classes."

Still trying to battle with the feeling of a migraine, I complied with his pulling hands, and allowed him to lead me towards the open window. As soon as the blast of cool morning autumn air hit my face, I was awake. Trying not to seem too amused by my sudden awareness, Balthier then proceeded to shove my uniform in my arms and turn his back, with a smirk playing on his lips the whole time. Keeping the window open, I changed.

"…"

I looked like a snob. Glaring at my reflection, I took in just how high-brow I'd managed to become in just a few short weeks. My shoes were polished black and shining brilliantly, my kakis were crisp and clean, my white shirt spotless, and my navy blue jacket (with the freaking gold trim) buttoned with a gold tie fastened securely in place. At least my hair hadn't changed from its usual unruly spikes. Even Ashe had tried; unsuccessfully. Grimacing, I turned once again to Balthier and fixed him with my straight lip and determined eyes. He merely looked me over with a smirk, chuckling to himself and said, "C'mon then. Your first day in wonderland begins…"

What was that supposed to mean? A jab at me being Lady Ashe's ward and being from such low ranks? Or was this place really as strange as I'd been feeling it was since I first set foot here? Maybe a little of both.

"You'll be stationed with the other second years in the first building's C room," He explained, striding quickly out of my room into the bustling hall. My eyes widened as I realized how many students there were here. I could barely keep Balthier in my line of sight as I forced my way through the throng towards the front doors.

Finally, I caught up to him, panting slightly. He barely glanced back at me as he continued making a beeline towards one of the large stone buildings towards the west that I'd missed yesterday. The grass was wet with dew as we waded through it, darkening my pants from the middle of the calf, down. By the time we reached the building, I felt a chill running up my spine when the fabric brushed my skin.

Soon, we'd wound through the dizzying maze of hallways to my appointed classroom. Here he deposited me with a wink and a snide smile without another word. Making a face after him, I turned to the door – an ancient wooden thing – and knocked before pushing my way in. On the other side the students had gone quiet and all looked up at me like I was some zoo animal on display. Lifting my chin a little higher, I stalked past and down the last row of desks to the only empty seat in the room. Hopefully I exuded 'mess with me if you dare'.

"Alright, let's get started," a man called, looking very prim and proper in his well-cut dress suit. Shifting his glasses on his upturned nose, he took up the chalk and started writing vigorously on the mathematical equation for something very complicated. Setting my head in my hands heavily, I wondered why I had to get stuck with this.

Three renewed headaches later, I gratefully stood to ready myself for lunch. I was in a bad mood, and starving, which didn't help. My day would get worse when a shoulder rammed into my own as I made for the door. The room went silent as I rounded on the tall boy in front of me. He stood gazing down his long nose at me and smirking.

"Watch it," I growled, taking a threatening step closer to him.

Bending slightly so we were face to face he sneered, "What can you do, Hand-Out? My father is the most important financier in all of Dalmasca."

Without really thinking, I jumped onto two desk chairs, snatched up his collar with both of my hands, and hoisted him off his feet. A terrified squeak passed his lips as his feet left the ground. Glowering darkly I muttered, "Oh yeah? I'd like to see you go crying to Daddy once I'm done with you."

Releasing him quickly, I jumped back down and glared at the now cowering goody-goody. As I stalked off, I felt my heart thrumming wildly against my chest; so much for trying to lay low.

After that, I felt the whispers going around and around the building. Kids wouldn't look me in the eye. Part of me was okay with it, because I mean who really wants to be friends with these brats anyways, but another part was feeling home-sick for Penelo and the streets of Rabanastre. How long was I going to last here? But at least I had the last class of the day to lift my spirits. Balthier, still wearing his overly bright suit jacket strode importantly into the room, and started lecturing on the history of our vast country. It was incredible. I'd never felt connected to a school subject before, but the way he described all the different exotic places with so much detail, really set my mind on fire.

Leaving the building, my head was still filled with far away images of places I wanted to know more about, and I didn't notice the group of students waiting just outside the main doors. I only stopped when I felt a boy's hand on my chest. I was not met with sneers, but extremely serious expressions. I got the feeling that they wanted something from me.

"Heard what happened during lunch," one of the boys called ominously.

I kept my face blank. What were they trying to get at?

A girl with blonde hair, and an extremely buxom bust stepped out and said, "We'd like to invite you to our little…gathering."

Somehow I thought this wasn't an option. Shifting the weight of my bag on my shoulder, I shrugged in a way that said, 'only because I'm curious', and watched as her face split into a grin that reminded me of a snake. In fact, all of them had the same look in their eyes as they explained where I was to meet them. Not wanting to stick around any longer than I had to, I strode off towards the dormitories. Looking over my shoulder, I saw them all watching me silently.

I didn't know what they had planned for me once I'd snuck out after dark, but I definitely wasn't looking forward to it.

Tall shadows cascaded over the lawns that looked like grey velvet in the moonlight by the time I slunk to the cover of an oak tree. This was where they told me to go, but there was no sign of anyone. Glancing around, I realized just how much of a bad idea this was turning out to be. Everything looked menacing. Keeping my legs from trembling by leaning against the tree, I waited. Finally, when the moon was high, I heard the distinct sound of a branch snapping behind me.

Cursing myself as I spun on my heel, I looked up and saw that same chesty girl from earlier. Her eyes traveling up and down my body, she called over, "Follow me."

And I did. Into the dense woods and the darkness that had fallen over it. It felt like I trailed after her for hours, but then I saw the faint glow of golden light drawing us closer. It was magnificent to say the least, this strange hidden temple sitting overgrown under dozens of towering trees. My mouth dropped open for a moment before I drew it once again into a thin line. There must have been two dozen people gathered around the blazing fire in the center of the caved-in courtyard.

Nerves instantly made my legs turn to lead, but I tried not letting that on. Instead I followed her through the crowd to the foot of a make shift throne. On it sat a tall azure haired young man gazing down at me curiously with his chin resting on his fist. When we stopped before him the girl smirked and called, "Sin, we've brought a new contestant."

"Leblanc," he mused, eyes lighting with amusement.

"He made quite the impression on his classmates." She continued, nudging me forward.

His gaze switched to me. I was frozen in place. To me it seemed like tendrils of dark power were radiating from him, but then again, it was dark and the fire was casting shadows all over the vine infested walls. Sitting forward slightly he asked, "So, you think you can prove yourself here?"

My cheeks burned with the anger of his humiliating tone. Nodding I answered, "Whatever it is, yeah…"

"You don't even know what we do here?"

"No."

The corners of his mouth lifted away revealing a long row of dazzlingly white, straight teeth. What happened next, I wasn't even expecting. An explosion of raw pain raced from my left jaw down through my neck and into my spine. I fell over face first, my line of vision completely blotting out for a moment. Sound came back sluggishly. I could hear laughter and cheering interlaced with a sharp ringing. Shaking my head slightly, I tried pushing myself into a sitting position to see what the heck had happened, but once again I was caught unawares by my unnamed assailant. This time a thick boot caught me on my lower ribs and upper midriff.

I rolled onto my back with a groan as all the air in my lungs expelled. What the hell was going on?! A massive hand came out of nowhere, snatching at my collar and hoisting me unceremoniously onto my wobbly legs. I could barely stand, let alone breathe, but I met the blue haired kid's gaze with as much strength as I could fake. His smirk was still present, and the aura of darkness around him seemed to be growing. Did no one else see that?

"As you may be aware of, now," he began sarcastically. "We prove ourselves by climbing the ranks utilizing our basest of skills. Each of us, pair up in matches, and fight."

Leblanc stood in the corner of my eye, whispering and pointing before he continued, "Go home, little boy, this is no place for _you_…"

Dozens of hands began shoving me back, away from the hidden shrine, towards the path I'd taken to get here. When I tangled my legs in a tree root, I crashed hard into the mud, scraping my hands. Their laughter died out, getting swallowed by the forest, until I was left alone with the sounds of nature. Wincing, I grit my teeth and pushed myself up shakily. That had definitely not been what I'd expected; seems like this school was way more messed up than even me.

"Hey, are you alright?"

My body tensed at the question. I half expected another blow, but was grateful for the gentle hand on my shoulder instead. Looking around, I met the gaze of a boy, not much older than me, that had a shock of sandy blonde hair and startlingly blue eyes which were wide with genuine concern. Feeling my face grow involuntarily warm, I could only nod.

"They really let you have it, didn't they?" he asked brightly, wrapping his arm around my middle (carefully avoiding the sore spots) while placing my own over his shoulder. In a moment, he had me on my feet, trudging down the narrow path, back towards the school.

"I've had worse…" I muttered bitterly, thinking back to the other times I'd been jumped in the streets when I was younger.

I could feel him studying me for a moment before blurting, "Guess I should introduce myself, I'm Tidus!"

"Vaan," I murmured.

"Are you new here?"

I glanced up at him, still not sure what to think of this guy. What was his angle? He obviously wanted something from me, or he wouldn't be being so nice. Anger boiled to the surface, making me detach myself quickly from him. As his eyes filled with confusion I asked harshly, "What do you want?"

"Jeez, what kind of gratitude is that?" he said offended. "I just thought you might need some help, that's all…"

Huh…maybe he was just a nice guy. But what was he doing all the way out here? Stop it. You can't keep thinking badly of people that don't deserve it. Believe it or not, there are people out there that aren't trying to take advantage of you.

Sighing in defeat, I was about to apologize, when all the blood in my head fell away. Black spots dotted my vision, and I let out a small 'Oh' before collapsing. The world swam all around me, making me feel like I was going to either pass out, throw up, or a combination of both. It must have been the knock to the head catching up to me now that the adrenaline had time to wear off. I could only lay there; squeezing my eyes shut, and waiting for it to pass.

Finally, everything came to a standstill. Opening my eyes blearily, I saw that Tidus was there, holding me in his lap, completely white as a sheet. He asked tentatively, "You okay…?"

I nodded, and then abruptly stopped, realizing that was a huge mistake. The feeling of wanting to relive the contents of my stomach came roaring into my throat, making me break out in a cold sweat. Taking out a handkerchief from his pocket (who carries those around anyway) he dabbed at my forehead and said reassuringly, "Good, I'm going to go look for someone that can help. You stay right here…"

Not wanting to upset my stomach again, I merely lay there as he gently set my head down on the ground and dashed off into the night. What a weird guy, I thought as I smiled. The crack of twigs coming up the path the way he left, alerted me to his presence. That was fast. Maybe he forgot something?

Peering into the darkness, I saw the outline of someone that didn't look at all like Tidus. My body tensing defensively I called out, "Who's there?"

The person jumped, and by the sound of the squeal of fright, I was guessing it was a girl. She came in close enough after a moment when she realized I wasn't trying to kill her. She was very beautiful. Her shoulder-length mousy brown hair hung around her face, framing her delicate features nicely. And her heavily lidded eyes gazed down at me hauntingly. In the moonlight, she looked like something from another world.

"Did Tidus send you?" I asked, grunting slightly as I shifted positions to try and get a better look at her.

"I'm sorry; I don't know who that is. Are you hurt?"

Even her voice was ethereal. Dropping my gaze in embarrassment, I shrugged. Instantly, she knelt by my side and assessed the damage. As she was talking nervously about the dangers of the gang that hung out in the woods, I wondered how she hadn't seen Tidus. The path was narrow, and still a ways back from the school. Did he get lost? He seemed like the type.

But honestly, my head was still foggy from my encounter with the fight club, and I didn't think much on it. By the time she'd told me I'd be okay in the morning aside from some bruises, and helped me back to the dorms, I was exhausted and hurting. As I turned to go into the door she asked softly, "What's your name?"

"Vaan," I answered tiredly, leaning heavily against the doorframe. "Thank you, um…"

"Y-Yuna!" she answered quickly, stumbling slightly over her own name. I smiled gratefully down at her one last time before disappearing inside.

Setting myself gently down on my bed, I let out a great gust of air. It was nice to finally be in my own bed and away from craziness. I guess my first day at a new school had been less than normal, but maybe tomorrow would be a little more tolerable…or at least not any worse.

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Teddy: Soooooo, sorry that's a tad on the short side, but promise it'll be worth it if you stick around!

CIC: Thanks to LuckyDreamer91!

Teddy: Yeah, thanks, mate! See you in the next!


	3. Chapter 3

Teddy: Hohohoho! I'm really excited for this chappie! This is when it starts getting good! XD

CIC: It's been a lot of fun developing the story thusfar! I hope you like it too!

Teddy: Let us know what you think! Happy Readings!

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My eyes shot open. Instantly I felt the corners burn with lack of sleep, and well up. Wiping at them, I sucked in an exasperated breath of air through my nose. This was ridiculous. The lower half of my face felt like one giant throb, beating in time to my heart. And my gut hadn't stopped cramping since I'd lain down. Luck was just not on my side.

Sitting up I rubbed at the tender flesh over my jaw and winced. It was definitely swelling. I'd need to get something cold on it soon if I didn't want to look like a puffy mess in class. Resigning to the fact that I wouldn't be getting anymore sleep, I stood up, letting my stiff muscles stretch for a moment. Glancing to the right, I spotted my reflection in the mirror hanging to the side of my desk. Jeez, I looked like a mess. Stepping closer, I prodded the skin under my eye and saw the beginnings of a small bruise.

Crap, I thought angrily as I quickly turned and headed for the door. Taking up my jacket, I resentfully relived my experience with the fight club at the hidden shrine deep in the woods out back of the school. All I'd wanted was to get done with this place as soon as I could, and with as little trouble as possible. What would they do now? That kid Tidus that I'd met had said it was my "hazing", but did that mean it was over? And where did he go last night? Too many questions, and I barely knew where to begin answering them.

The air outside was filled with a bitter cold bite, making me regret not taking the opportunity to grab a hat on my way out. Not only that, but a thick fog had settled over the school grounds, making me feel wet and chilled to the bone. Burrowing deeper into my coat, I set out down the narrow path towards the small garden that separated the girl's dorm from the boy's. At least I was fully awake now, and not rolling around in sleepless turmoil.

As the edge of the garden emerged from the fog, I felt just the slightest bit uneasy. In this setting, everything looked like something out of a mystery novel, the kinds where the character is stumbling ignorantly into the killer's hands. Shivering, I told myself I was being ridiculous, and continued on. The grey haze drew away as I entered the circular courtyard, and I found myself halting.

Being out here alone in this place made me think of Penelo and something she'd always used to say to me: _Expect that trouble will always find you in life, but you have to keep telling yourself that…it'll pass_. Bowing my head, I allowed myself to miss her. I didn't even move when I heard soft footfall drawing closer behind me. Only when I caught sight of a familiarly colorful sleeve, did I do anything. Lifting my head, I turned and caught sight of Balthier with his hands in his bright purple coat pockets, gazing down at me curiously.

"You know," he began, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "It's against the rules to be out here this early…or should I say late?"

Narrowing my eyes, I looked back out at the hauntingly beautiful garden as if to say, 'then do something about it'. But he didn't do anything. Instead, we stood side by side watching as the swirls of grey passed us by. Finally though, the strange man turned and started heading back in the direction of the dorm. I glanced over my shoulder as he called, spinning on his heel for one last look at me, "By the way, Mr. B'nargin, I'd be wary of the woods if I were you…!"

Blinking, I merely watched dumbfounded as he waved and disappeared. What did he know about the fight club? And how did he know I was there? Shaking my head, I turned back and saw that the area seemed to be a little brighter than it had been a moment ago. Looking up, I saw that the night sky was beginning its transformation from black to sleepy navy blue. Morning would be here soon, and I still needed to get something for my cheek.

Deciding that I needed to go down to the main building to try and find the sick ward, I stuffed my hands deeper into my pockets and turned in that direction. What I saw though, made me stop in my tracks. Standing just before me with a silly grin on his face and a pack of frozen fruit in his hand, was Tidus, the boy from the woods. Shrugging his shoulders sheepishly as he took a step forward he said, "Y'know, you're lucky Balthier seems to like you."

Reading between the lines, I'd think he was telling me sorry for disappearing. Setting my jaw, I merely gazed over at him tensely. I still couldn't figure out if he was trying to get something out of me. Taking in my body language, he smiled and scratched bashfully at the back of his head, "You're probably wondering where I went, huh? Well, it was kinda dark back there, and I…may have gotten a little lost."

A nervous smile escaped his lips as he offered up the bag, "Can you forgive me?"

Raising a brow, I took the bag and pressed it to my face and mumbled, "I made it out alright, anyway…"

I caught the grin he gave me before I headed past him into the fog. Starting, he called after my retreating back, "I'm glad for that! It can get pretty scary back there if you're alone…n-not that you were scared or anything, I guess I'm just uh…talking about personal experience."

Incredulously I spun on my heel. He stopped short of running into me, a fierce blush tinting his pale cheeks a fiery red. Shaking my head I laughed slightly before saying, "You're really strange, you know that, right?"

Still blushing, his face split into a happy grin. It can't be helped, was what he was saying. I laughed again and motioned for him to catch up. He eagerly matched my stride, and soon we were strolling lazily through the buildings on the school grounds.

"What was that last night?" I asked, shifting the frozen fruit on my face to get at more of the tender skin.

"You mean getting beat up by Seymour's gang?"

"Who's Seymour?"

"Oh, they call him Sin now I guess. His real name is Seymour Guado, but the students started calling him Sin because it's his…title."

Nodding slowly to show that I understood, Tidus began again, "In their fight club, whoever's top dog gets called Sin and everyone else is Sinspawn; pretty weird, but if it floats their boat, then whatever. Anyway, you must've caught their attention somehow, and they decided to show off on the new kid. Violence really flicks that crowd's Bic. It sucks, but they'll leave you alone now at least."

Thinking back to yesterday when I'd threatened that one kid talking down to me, I realized how I'd caught their attention. Glancing over at Tidus I asked, "So is this information coming from personal experience?"

The sun had decided to make itself known, its rays chasing away the mist and warming our cold bodies. As I looked up at him, a sliver of sunlight fell through the din, illuminating Tidus' open smiling face. I could feel my cheeks warm, so I quickly looked away.

"No, I've managed to stay under their radar," he answered with a soft chuckle. "That's one of my more interesting characteristics. I can stay invisible if I want to."

We continued walking around talking about classes and other topics until the morning bell rang. I was surprised we'd stayed out here so long. Suddenly Tidus turned to face me, gazing intently at my face, making me uncomfortable. I was about to ask what he was staring at when he reached out and plucked the now thawed fruit bag from my hand. With his other hand he gently stroked the side of my face where I'd been punched and commented happily, "It looks a lot better!"

Lifting up my own hand, as he drew his away, I prodded the area. The swelling really had gone down. Rubbing at the still slightly tender skin I looked up at Tidus grinning down at me and nodded muttering a quiet, "Thanks…"

"No problem!" he replied, nudging my shoulder with his own before stepping past me in the direction of the dorms. "I'll see you later, maybe in study hall or something!"

"S-sure…" I said, watching as the upbeat blonde waved and dashed off. When he was out of sight, I dropped my hand back to my side and let myself smile a little. Maybe being friends with that weird-o could be a good thing.

After a few minutes, I realized that if I didn't want to be late, I'd have to go back to the dorm change and get my bag. I made it to class just as the bell rang, breathless. Lots of whispers followed me around as the day progressed, but I didn't pay much attention to them. By the time lunch came around though, I was ready to escape for a while. The cafeteria was surprisingly empty. I supposed the rich kids here had their meals made special for their expensive taste buds. Which was a bit sad considering that this place's cafeteria food could put every other school's to shame.

I had just sat down at an empty table and started digging in to my ridiculously good smelling beef stew, when I caught sight of someone else sitting down across from me. Mouth full of stew, I looked up and met the gaze of the girl from the other night. Swallowing I wiped at my mouth and asked, "Yuna, right?"

Nodding, she mumbled nervously, "I hope you don't mind that I sit here."

"'S fine," I answered, stuffing another spoonful in my mouth.

"You seem to be feeling better," she commented, her fingers playing with the straw sticking out of her cup. "I'm glad."

"Yeah, thanks again for uh, coming to my rescue last night."

She shook her head and smiled sweetly over at me, "It's nothing."

We sat eating quietly for a moment before I asked, "What class are you in?"

"I'm second year, room A."

So that's why I didn't see her before. I continued asking her questions, feeling more comfortable with talking as time wore on. By the time I headed back to class, I was feeling really good. Hopefully now that today was looking up, it meant that all the weird stuff a new kid has to go through was over and done with.

Tidus and I did end up meeting too. I was sitting in a back corner of the library, trying to make sense of some gibberish when I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. Looking around I was met with his goofy, grinning face. He took a seat next to me and peered over at my text book, blanching when he saw that it was calculus.

"School and me, we're like this." He said motioning with his hands in a way that mimed an explosion.

"I would never have thought that of you," I said sarcastically, offering up one of my own smiles.

He made a pouting face before saying haughtily, "Just because I'm not meant for academia, doesn't mean you have to judge me, Mr. I'm-So-Great-At-Everything!"

Sending him a playful kick to the leg I asked, "Alright, what do you strive at then?"

His face immediately lit up as he exclaimed, "Blitzball!"

Wasn't expecting that answer; he struck me as more of a videogame guy, than a team playing athlete. Not because he acted lazy, but because he didn't strike me as very…sociable. Shutting my book I asked curiously, "Did you play last year?"

"No, didn't make it to the try-outs, something came up…" he answered faintly, suddenly looking very far-away.

After a moment, he shook his head, coming out of his sidetracked daydream. We joked around some more before I said I had to get back to class. He waved as I stood and called, "Alright, continue being great, I'll just be here napping!"

I don't think the small smile left my lips the entire day. And as I crawled into bed, the possibility of really adapting to this place became a little more of a reality.

~O~

The morning bell woke me annoyingly, but it seemed like my good mood had carried over in my sleep. Nothing was going to bother me today. I was going to go to class, maybe hang out with my new friends, and eat really great food; absolute dream come true. Even my ridiculously stuck up uniform looked a little more tolerable as I quickly dressed and headed out the door into the hallway. Swinging my backpack up over my shoulder, I joined the throng of students heading for the first class of the day.

I was daydreaming of what they'd have in the cafeteria to choose from when I noticed the crowd slowing down. Peering over the upperclassman's shoulder in front of me as we continued shuffling towards the door, I could hear the start of worried whispers passing back from the kids at the front. Did something happen?

A horrible thought suddenly ran through my mind. What if it was Tidus? He seemed like the kind of guy that would get himself into serious trouble. What if the fight club had finally caught up with him and hazed him too? I didn't hear any loud cries, so that must mean there wasn't any fighting going on now, but what if he'd been called out last night? Fear turning my stomach into knots, I started pushing my way through the crowd, much to their protests.

Finally, when I shoved my way out into the chilled morning air, I caught sight of a ring of students standing in a circle around something on the ground just outside the door. Pulling a small girl aside, I felt like I was going to be sick. Lying sprawled out on the ground was a girl, her face was pale, impossibly pale, and her lips were a light blue. Against the dark grass she looked like a ghost. And the thing that sent chills of terror running down my spine was the fact that I recognized her. It was Leblanc.

From off to my left, I heard Balthier crying out for answers. When he finally broke through and caught sight of Leblanc's still form lying broken on the ground, his face lost its color. As soon as the initial shock wore off, he looked around at the gathered students and caught sight of me standing at the edge of the circle. Pointing he barked, "Help me get her to the infirmary."

I wasn't sure if we could even help her anymore, but not wanting to be the one to argue at the moment, I obeyed him. Somehow I got her dead weight up onto my back and trailed after him as he called, "Get to class!"

As the sound of loud conversation roared up behind us, I also heard the sound of heavy footfall following after us. I looked around and caught sight of Tidus, looking like he was scared out of his mind. His face mimicked what I imagined my insides felt like. When he caught up he asked in a small whisper, trying hard not to look at Leblanc's face, "What happened?"

That was a good question. Everything was going fine, this place was starting to seem normal, and then this happened. Hiking my burden up a little higher on my back I answered hollowly, "I don't know…"

* * *

Teddy: Squeee! I love it! So suspenceful!

CIC: See you in the next!

Teddy: Don't be afraid to review! Cheers!


	4. Chapter 4

Teddy: Soooooo sorry this took so ruddy long! This one just didn't want to come out from my brain as easily as I'd wanted it to. Hopefully though, my dear LuckyDreamer91, this does the trick in cheering you up!

CIC: Had fun editing this! Can't wait to develop the plot more!

Teddy: Tell us what you think! Happy Readings!

* * *

The silence of the hall made the sound of my heavy breathing that much more audible. My schooling at this place has only just begun, but already I felt like I'd been tossed out into the middle of the ocean to drown. This morning when I woke up, I was in a better mood than I'd been in a long while. When I got out to the grounds just outside the dorm, that pretty picture was shattered by something that read _way_ off my scale of normal. A girl that belonged to the school's fight club was found dead…_maybe_, or at least I didn't know anymore.

As Balthier, Tidus, and I rushed into the infirmary half a dozen professors swooped in surrounding us, exclaiming all at once. Before I could properly discern what it was exactly that they were going on about, I felt the dead weight of Leblanc lift from my back just as a pair of hands began steering me back the way I came. I tried protesting, but the sound of my hoarse voice was drowned out by their insisting cacophony. Soon, I skidded out into the hall where I currently stood trying to catch my breath.

Glancing up at Tidus who'd also been put out with me, I saw that his face was still white as a sheet, his bright blue eyes still bugging out in fear. With my hands on my knees I asked breathlessly, "You alright?"

He started and looked down at me. For a moment, he couldn't answer. Finally, I stood and tentatively reached out a hand. When my fingers brushed his arm it seemed to pull him back to reality. Shaking his head he muttered, "Sorry, It's just…that's the fourth student that's turned up like that."

"What? You mean this has happened before?!"

My mind flashed to seeing the fight club's leader Seymour – or as he liked to call himself: Sin – standing over me glaring down as I was pummeled into the dust by his "Sinspawn". Something about him had seemed off then, and now that this happened…I feel like they're somehow connected. I was about to run this thought by Tidus when a hand beckoned me back towards the infirmary, followed by a voice telling me to "hurry along".

Starting, I made for the door, silently asking Tidus if he was coming too. His face grew even paler and donned a sickening tone of green as he quickly shook his head. He tried smiling comfortingly after me as if to tell me that he'd hear about it later. Our eyes locked for a moment, and in that small space of time, I could see the raw fear buried far down.

This was serious.

I trailed after the stuffy, nervously perspiring teacher quietly, choosing to look around at the room I was in. It was large, with enormous windows that practically made up the entire wall that the long line of beds was placed against. The part that really gave me the creeps was how quiet it was. Normally there'd be at least one kid coughing or snoring, or _something. _But it was eerily still. Suppressing a shiver, I kept my head low the rest of the trek across the polished floor.

"…out of hand!"

"…tell the community…"

"We're done for if…"

"…running out of excuses…"

The sound of their hushed argument drifted through the slightly ajar nurse's office door, just enough for me to gather that they were seriously scared. Great, I thought as I stuffed my hands into my pockets, the grown-ups are out of options already. A hand in my chest made me come to an abrupt halt as the professor I was following bustled in ahead of me. He returned only after the conversation died down. When I stepped in, I could feel the tension wrap around my body like an axe hanging over my head.

Swallowing loudly, I turned to look at the only face I considered friendly in the intimidating crowd. Balthier stood, arms crossed protectively over his chest, leaning against a vacant spot on the wall. Just by looking at the doomed expression in his eyes, I could feel my last bit of confidence fall away.

"You are Lady Ashe's ward, correct…?" a largely orotund man asked from the depths of his thick mustache.

Trying to keep my airs, I turned my nose up slightly and replied, "Yeah, what's it to you, old man…?"

Instead of receiving harsh words or a blow to the back of the head for my smart-mouthed cheek, I noticed everyone glance around nervously. Finally, the same man said gruffly, "The girl…has sustained some serious injuries, but none that won't heal in time. There is nothing to worry about. She will ah…make a full recovery."

"She's okay?!" I asked in disbelief, my resolve crumbling. When I'd carried her here, I could feel through my clothes just how cold she was. I was prepared to hear the worst, but here they were telling me she'd be fine! If that was the case, then why did I still feel like there was something hanging ominously over our heads? What's going on?

A small, sniveling man stepped forward, laughing nervously as he dabbed at his forehead, "Of course, just be sure to let your guardian know everything is under control…!"

Narrowing my eyes, I made some sort of a small sound of understanding before spinning around and stomping out. So _that_ was what they were after. It was definitely something to panic about, but they didn't want the rich investors of their "establishment" getting scared off. What a bunch of cowards. What did they expect if they kept sweeping their problems under the rug? Nothing but more students showing up like Leblanc!

Well – and I can't believe I'm saying this – I'm just going to have to get to the bottom of this weird-o mystery myself. Sweeping out of the infirmary, I grabbed a hold of Tidus' arm, who was still rooted to the same spot, and headed for the sanctity of the library.

"V-Vaan, where're we going…?!"

"To figure out what happened!" I growled out determinedly.

~O~

The smell of books was giving me a headache, but despite that, I pulled down yet another medical textbook and poured over its pages. Glancing over at Tidus I muttered, "Tell me how this all started again…"

Rubbing his eyes, he replied agitatedly, "It all started a couple years ago. Two kids showed up like that the first year, one the year after that, and now Leblanc. They're all the same; on the grounds, with no explanation about their…condition."

"And Seymour started school here the exact same time, right?"

"…yeah, listen Vaan, why don't you go to class and cool down a bit?"

"No way! Something's up, and I'm going to figure out what it is!" I answered, a bit more angrily than I planned on. "Don't you want to know what he's up to?"

"You don't even know if it really is Seymour!"

My blood ran cold. It may be stupid of me to be thinking this way about someone I'd only known for a few days, but hearing someone I considered a friend talking to me like that…really hurt. Clenching my jaw shut tightly, I snapped the book I held in my lap shut. Realizing what he'd said, Tidus exclaimed, "No, Vaan, I didn't mean –!"

"It's fine." I cut in bluntly, packing up the books I still wanted to look over. "I'm going to class…"

Ignoring his pleas, I strode off through the rows of books to the exit. Angrily, I cut through the grounds to my building. I think I startled everyone when I burst in through the door, but I didn't pay much attention. My mind was still reeling about Tidus and Leblanc, and everything else this place was throwing at me.

By the time lunch came around, I'd managed to get my emotions under control enough to understand why this was all bothering me. I was a sucker for adventure. Ever since I was little I'd always been the one to look for trouble. And when a good mystery came around, I had to solve it no matter what, which of course made me irritable and irrational. Tidus unfortunately got the brunt end of that, I think. Grudgingly, I realized that I'd have to apologize when I next saw him.

Pinching the bridge of my nose in an attempt to stave off the migraine that I knew was waiting for me, I pulled out the medical text book I'd taken from the Library and began thumbing through it, looking for anything that caught my eye. I was just reaching the end of the chapter on parasitic infections when a shadow passed over the pages. Stiffening, I was expecting to see Sin or one of his Sinspawn standing over me. Instead, Yuna took the seat next to me, tucking a loose strand of her mousy brown hair behind her ear.

"What's that?" she asked, nodding towards the textbook.

Showing her the cover I explained, "I was…curious about what happened to Leblanc."

Her eyes widened slightly. For the first time, I noticed that they were two different colors, a deep green and a pale blue.

I thought she was about to say I was weird for looking into this kind of thing, but she surprised me by asking, "You're looking into it _too_?"

"Huh?" I replied, utterly at a loss. This small unassuming girl was looking into the possible criminal activities of her private school? So many developments…

Leaning in a little closer she muttered under her breath, "I've been doing some research for the past few months!"

"Really, did you find anything?" I asked eagerly.

She shook her head sadly. But before she went into further detail, she glanced nervously at the students around us and told me that she wanted to talk later, somewhere a little more private. I told her that after classes I was going to the library again to keep digging for any information on what might be happening. I went back to the rest of the day with a slightly less heavy heart, and thankfully didn't mess up in front of any of the faculty. My shoes hit the polished wood floor of the two storied hall of uncountable records just as the sun was starting to set.

It was utterly silent; a picture perfect library. I stood next to the empty help desk and gazed up at the rows and rows of books, illuminated in the sleepy golden afternoon light. My whole body felt suspended in awe of the moment. And as I looked around I asked myself, '_what am I doing_?' I mean, who was I kidding, thinking I could figure this out. Not only that, but was there even anything to figure out at all? A feeling of doubt washed over me, nearly choking me.

Should I leave?

I hovered between my indecision, all the while watching as the light grew more intense. And then, just as I was getting ready to turn around and give up…my jaw dropped open. In the deep colors of the sunset coming through the high paneled windows, a head of blonde hair bobbed up from behind a shelf. His blue eyes shining brighter than I'd ever seen them, Tidus grinned toothily down at me, waving like a buffoon.

"Hey Vaan, come up here! There's something you need to see," he called excitedly, giving off the impression of a kid showing his parents how well he did on a school project.

Blinking, I stood for a moment in disbelief before I heard him call down once again for me to hurry up. Taking the stairs to the balcony level two at a time, I came upon a scene that stopped me in my tracks. Tidus sat at one of the heavy wooden tables in between stacks and stacks of books. Unable to stop myself I asked confused, "What's this…?"

"Okay, so I was really bummed about what I said before and it got me thinking. So I stayed here and started looking at some books that were lying around. You're not going to believe what I found!" he explained in a rush, gesturing wildly to the only book lying open.

"Wait, so you haven't left since this morning?" I asked in disbelief.

"Well…no." he replied, his brows drawing together in question like he couldn't figure out why it mattered.

What an idiot. Blushing and shaking my head I mumbled, "It's nothing…"

Giving me a weird look, he took a hold of my elbow and steered me in close. Standing shoulder to shoulder, he pointed down at his discovery grinning victoriously. Eyes widening as I read the medical report, I felt like we were finally getting somewhere. Throwing my arms around his neck I exclaimed, "You did it!"

We bounced around laughing like morons for a while, before finally breaking apart. I leant over the book once again and read a little more thoroughly. Basically, it said that on the date going back 200 years earlier, residents from the land around the manor house started showing up with the same symptoms that Leblanc and the others have. Scanning over the two pages, my face fell however when I saw that there was no continuation. It seemed like whoever had started the initial report; either didn't finish it here, or didn't finish it at all.

"Yeah, I saw that…" Tidus sighed, leaning heavily against the table. "But I didn't think I could continue looking on an empty stomach."

Smiling, I nudged him and asked, "Is that a hint?"

"Nah," he answered laughter in his eyes. "Why don't I go get us some food? My legs could do with a good stretch anyways."

Patting me chummily on the shoulder, he swept past me heading for the exit. I watched him go until he'd disappeared out the front doors. I definitely would need to apologize for what happened this morning when he came back. Gripping the spot his hand had touched, my mind drifted into unknown thoughts.

I jumped when I heard the doors open once again. Thinking it was Tidus back because he'd forgotten his money; I spun around, a wide grin on my lips. But I was surprised to see Yuna. Catching sight of me, she hurried up the stairs to where I sat and said breathlessly, "Sorry I'm a little late."

Setting her bags down in an empty chair, she looked over all the books lying around and said, "Looks like you've been busy."

"Actually, I didn't –" I began, but was cut off by her exclaiming, "Is there something in there?"

Deciding that Tidus could explain himself when he got back, I jumped into showing her the record. We then spent the next few hours pulling more and more books searching for the last of it. Unfortunately it did not show up…and neither did Tidus.

The sky outside the windows dark now, I took up my school bag and explained that I had to try and find him. She promised to let me know if she found out anything tomorrow at lunch, and stuck her nose once again in a thick, ancient volume. By now I was worried about him. Sure he was the type to get sidetracked, or lost or…whatever, but not for hours at a time. What if something bad had happened to him?

My mind flashed to an image of Leblanc lying blue and frozen on the ground, and I felt a shiver pass up my spine. Shaking my head, I picked up my pace, going at a light jog across the deserted grounds. I couldn't think like that, especially not when I was out here alone right after a student had shown up half dead on the lawn.

Suddenly, my face slammed into something warm and strong. Already a little freaked out by my thought process, I sprang away from the unknown assailant, balled up my hands into fists and let them fly. To my shock however, I felt two hands clamp down hard over my wrists like it was nothing. Just about ready to start yelling and kicking, I heard a voice chuckle softly, "Oh dear, catch you by surprise did I? Well, shame on me. Although, considering its past curfew and _you're_ the one giving _me_ the fright, I believe I should say...shame on _you_."

My eyes snapped open to meet Balthier's smug smirking face. Pulling away from his grasp, I rubbed at my arms where he'd grabbed me and asked angrily, "What the hell are you doing out here?! And curfew's not for another hour!"

Crossing his arms over his chest, he answered, "Ah, well, as it is my duty to uphold the student's safety, you'll understand why I am out here patrolling. As for the curfew, due to your peer showing up as she did, the faculty thought it best to push the limit to your time being spent out of doors to a minimum. They changed it this morning…which you would have known had you been in class."

Unable to think of how to respond, I muttered the only thing that came to mind; the truth.

"I was…in the Library this morning. And I met some friends there to study after school got out."

"Since they are not accompanying you back here, I gather they must still be back there?"

I said something about Tidus leaving earlier, but that Yuna was still there. Clicking his tongue at me disapprovingly as he shook his head he replied, "Shame on you Mr. B'nargin for not accompanying a helpless lady back to her dorm."

Worry clamped over my heart. I didn't even think about that! I was so worried about Tidus that I the idea never crossed my mind. I made to head back the way I'd come but found Balthier's hand in my chest stopping me. With a small chuckle, he easily turned me around and gave me a little shove in the direction of the dorms telling me, "I'll go retrieve the young lady. No sense in putting you in danger when a perfectly capable adult is here."

Our eyes met for a moment, and I saw that under all the dry sarcasm, that he was just as nervous about my safety as I was. Nodding, I pivoted on my heel and headed off towards the dorm. It took me less than a minute to round the last building and see the illuminated beacon that was the entrance to my safe house.

My room was warm and shockingly comforting after being out in the cold wet night. Even though this room reminded me of Lady Ashe most times, at this moment, I couldn't see anything of her in it. All I fixated on was the fact that I had a soft bed and a door that I could lock. Tossing my school bag onto the vacant sitting chair next to my bookshelf, I strode over to my bed and threw myself onto it, sighing in relief.

The dream world was just getting ready to whisk me away when I heard a soft knock on my door. Sitting bolt upright, I gazed wide eyed over at it for a moment before telling myself to get a grip. I nearly punched the person waiting on the other side when I caught sight of him.

"H-hey…" Tidus said sheepishly, scratching at the back of his head. "Can I come in?"

Taking a fistful of the front of his shirt, I yanked him through and quickly shut the door after him hissing, "Where the hell did you go?! Do you know how worried I was?!"

Holding up his hands in surrender he answered, "I'm sorry! I went and got the food, but then I went to my room to get something and I…may have fallen asleep."

I should've known it would have been something stupid like that. Utterly defeated, I sank down onto a nearby chair and put my head in my hands. Grumbling through them I said, "You're such an idiot…"

"Heh…yeah, but I was thinking about what you said about Seymour," he continued, kneeling in front of me. "And I think you may be on to something."

Raising my head, I peered at what he was holding out for me: a wrinkled piece of paper with a lot of nearly indistinguishable scribbles all over it. Pointing to a few of the lines he explained, "Okay, so Seymour started here as a first year, then he opened the fight club for business, next that kid showed up dead, and then one by one the next few kids appeared on the grounds in that coma. All the while, he's been conducting that stupid club, so get this: the students that were found were _all_ in the fight club."

Snatching the paper away from him I asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I snuck in to Balthier's room while I was here and checked in his yearbooks, as well as some disciplinary notes."

"And he didn't catch you?" I said, raising my brow skeptically. I mean, he was the kind of guy that got lost in the woods, and fell asleep when he was supposed to meet someone. I couldn't really picture him being sneaky and successful at it.

"I'm good at not being seen!" he replied with a shrug, trying to hide his smirk.

Rolling my eyes, I studied the paper in my hands once again before saying, "So we need to know what goes on in that fight club."

"Yeah, but it's not easy getting info out of those guys. They're a tight knit group."

"Okay…then I'll have to be our inside man."

"Sure that's – wait…no way! You'll get pulverized if you go in there!" Tidus squeaked, eyes widening. "I mean, the last time they brought you there –"

"The last time I was there, they got the jump on me." I cut in, solidifying in my mind what I was committing myself to do. "This time…I'll show them exactly what growing up on the streets feels like."

Smiling confidently over at a gaping Tidus, I passed him back his paper and asked, "So where's that food you said you got?"

* * *

Teddy: Cheers, see you in the next! XD


End file.
